DISCLAIMER: No offense is meant to the men of the Easy Company or anyone living resembling our characters. We only own Lorraine and anyone else who isn't real.

Chapter 10

For the last two days, Nixon had watched Raine and watched the woods at the same time. He was actually surprised that Ron hadn't come back, but the Germans had shelled both lines heavily over the last couple of days so he was probably busy. Glancing over at Raine, Nixon felt the unease creep up his spine.

She had been quiet since they returned to the CP, doing her job but saying little. She'd never been overly talkative, but now she just stared into the forest with fear in her eyes. Frowning he looked at Dick, who had also been watching Raine. They had discussed at nausea how to fix whatever had happened and they were both drawing a blank.

Raine was trying to ignore Nixon and Winters staring at her. She knew they were worried about her because she hadn't spoken about the incident, but she really didn't know what to say. Touching and kissing Ron again after so long was just too much, it caused her chest to ache. She knew that she'd probably hurt him by running from him, but it would have taken too much from her to try and explain.

Rubbing her neck, she glanced back out at the woods. She couldn't believe that he'd not tried to find her and talk to her. What would she do when he did finally track her down? She couldn't answer that question. Maybe she needed to get away from the situation and she'd be better for it. If only the opportunity presented itself.

Nixon was just starting to doze off when the jeep pulled up carrying Sink. "Well I want to know what you've done with Pryor Nix. I need a competent person running my staff. Where is he?"

Raine stepped out of the CP, "I'm here sir. What happened to you twisting the tail of your new sergeant? Get bored?"

Sink laughed, "nope, just got tired of redoing everything. So I'm thinking you need to grab your gear and head back to Bastogne with me. Winters won't need you right now and I do."

She sighed and looked at Nixon who winked and nodded. "Okay sir, just give me a moment and I'll be ready."

Trying to grab up her stuff, she glanced at Nixon who'd come to stand beside her. "Will you tell him if he shows up that I'll try and talk to him later?"

"Sure, no problem, I like being the messenger. Be careful, being in the city doesn't mean you'll be any safer."

"You worry too much, what could go wrong Nix?"

Nixon wasn't surprised when Ron showed up two days after Raine went back to Bastogne, what did surprise him was how resigned the man was. Nixon knew that if it had been him he'd have never given her up without a fight, especially when she'd just come back from the dead.

"She's not here. Sink pulled her back to Regiment two days ago. What took you so long?"

Ron sat on a crate across from Nixon and shrugged. "I don't know. First, she's dead, then I start thinking I'm crazy for seeing her everywhere, then I find out she's been here the whole time. I guess the most confusing part of this is when she thought I was going to kill her and comes running to you."

Nixon kept silent; he knew that if he stopped Ron talking that he'd never open back up again. But he didn't expect the clear hatred he saw in the other man's eyes.

"So Nix, exactly how long did it take you to get her into bed, because it must not have taken all that long? Did she bother to tell you why she's posing as a man?"

Nixon shook his head. "You don't understand and you need to stop before you go too far. I think a lot of the lady and I'm not going to let you talk bad about her, so choose your next words carefully."

The fight seemed to leave Ron, "you know Nix, I don't know why I said those things, I guess it just hurts that she's alive and yet she's with someone else. Is she happy with you? As long as she's happy, I don't care anymore if she picks you."

Standing he walked over to stand over Nixon, ensuring there was very little space between them, he leaned down, "But if you hurt her. So help me, I'll make sure you're even more miserable than she is."

Nix held up his hands, "Ron, you have no idea what you're talking about. There's nothing between us. She wants to be with you, she's wanted you this entire time. She thinks she's broken and that it's going to keep you apart."

"Broken, what the hell are you talking about? Explain."

"Look, you need to talk to Raine, it's her story to tell but bottom line, she loves you, but she is terrified about what you will think or feel about her when it all comes out."

Ron rubbed his hands across his face, "I know Albert abused her I saw the marks and Agnes told me most of it."

"Yeah well there were things that I don't even think Agnes understood. Look she's back working for Sink, he wanted her back. Go talk to her, make her talk to you, because she's going to run when she sees you coming."

Nodding Ron got to his feet, "thanks Nix, I'll try to get there as soon as I can."

"Damn it Pryor, get your skinny ass in here and get me another cup of coffee."

Growling she headed into Sink's office and grabbed his cup. "You know sir; if you wanted a secretary you should have hired one. So do you want to explain to me why I had to replace the sergeant if this was all you wanted?"

"Did you get up on the wrong side of the bunk this morning or what?" Sink tried to look stern but she saw his lips twitch with trying to hold back a smile.

"Well you know sir…" The rest of her statement was cut short by the impact of the first round. When Raine heard the second round coming in she ran and pushed Sink out of the way landing on top of him taking a beam across the top of her scalp. Feeling her vision begin to blur she lost her fight with consciousness and relaxed on Sink's chest.

She felt someone stroke her head, mumbling she forced her eyes open to see Sink looking at her intently. "Damn it Pryor, see that's why I keep your skinny ass around."

Pushing up to a sitting position she tried to smile, "yeah well someone had to save your ass. I just got you house broken I wasn't about to start over with someone else."

Sink laughed and pulled her to her feet. "Come out let's get you to a medic, not that I think anything could hurt that hard head of yours but we want to be sure."

As she started past Sink, he grabbed her arm stopping her. "Thank you Pryor. You saved my life and I won't forget that."

"You're welcome sir, now how about I get over to the medic and then try to salvage your office."

Sink laughed, "yeah go on."

When she rounded the corner, she leaned against the wall to steady herself. She wasn't hurt all that bad, but her head did hurt and she could feel the dried blood. Still she was loathing going to the medic, she didn't like people poking and prodding.

She heard boots stop behind her and waited for Sink to nip at her heels again only to be shocked to hear another voice. "Raine are you okay?"

Slowly she turned to face him wincing when she saw the look on his face. "Yeah, just a little scratch. How are you Ron?"

When he reached to touch her head, he withdrew his hand when she stepped back from him. Putting both hands in his pockets, "I'm fine is there some where we could talk that is a little more private than this?"

Waving for him to follow her she headed a couple of side streets down and into a building that had been bombed. No one had been living here and it was where she came when she needed alone time. Stepping inside she waited till he entered then pushed the broken door as closed as it would go leaving them alone in the dim light.

"Okay, this is as alone as it gets, so what do you want to talk about?"

Ron stared at her and realized that all the rational arguments he'd formed on the way into Bastogne had faded. When he looked at her sad blue eyes all he wanted was to make things right and turn back the clock. Stepping closer to her, he stopped shy of touching. "Raine, I can't go back and fix the past, but I want to know as much as I can so that maybe, just maybe we can have a future. Baby I don't know what to do? I'm reaching for anything to make you see how I feel."

"You don't have to do anything, and if it makes you feel any better I'm just as confused as you are about what to do."

Moving closer to her, he put his hands on the wall bracketing her between them. He watched her face carefully for any sign she was nervous. Instead, he smiled when he saw her watching him. "What?"

Smirking she reached up to run her fingers done the stubble on his cheek. "Nothing I'm just glad you are okay. When I saw you in Holland you had me worried?"

"What do you mean when you saw me in Holland?" His eyes narrowed and Raine knew she'd screwed up.

"Well you know I mean, I've seen you from time to time and well, I…"

"You were in the aid station that night weren't you?"

"Uh, well I might have been."

Smiling he leaned in closer, "so I guess you still feel something for me huh?"

Smiling back at him, she cocked her head to the side, "I never said I didn't feel anything for you, in fact it's just the opposite, I think I feel too much."

She watched his eyes darken and his head begin to dip down to hers. She knew he was moving slowly to give her time to back away; instead, she stepped forward and met his lips with hers. His soft moan against her mouth had her stepping closer to him, taking in the warmth from his body as she pressed against him.

She felt him drop his hands from the wall to her shoulders and then immediately drop to his side. The only place they were touching was lips and chest. Without breaking the kiss she reached for his hands curling her hands inside his, she lifted them and pressed the back of his hands against her chest. Pressing them against her breast she heard him growl low in his throat.

When his lips left hers, she whined only to feel them move to her neck and attack the sensitive spot under her ear. Dropping her head to the side, she gave him better access to her neck and used his hands to stroke down her front.

"Oh God Raine, we need to stop." Pulling back, he left his hands in hers but the look of pure lust on his face made Raine smile.

Ron laughed and shook his head, "woman, you would laugh at my discomfort? Hell, I'll be lucky to walk straight for a week."

Her giggles made Ron smile even more. He'd finally done something right if she was laughing. Her hand against his cheek was warm from where her hand had been wrapped in his.

"Ronnie, you always could make me laugh. I've missed you."

He dropped his head against hers. "So does this mean I can see you again?" He felt her nodded yes. Kissing her forehead, he stepped back while he still had the willpower to do so. "I've got to go. Try to stay out of trouble will yeah?

"Hey don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Stopping at the door he turned back to look at her. "You know we still need to talk. I'm not going to let you shut me out. Not now."

"I know, but this isn't the time Ronnie, later when we have more time I'll try and tell you everything."

Nodding he stepped out the door and was gone. She stood alone for few moments trying to collect herself. Part of her was elated that he was back with her and they could see each other, but the realistic side knew there was no chance of it ever lasting. Sighing she checked outside and stepped out heading back to headquarters.

"Ouch sweetheart, what did you do to yourself this time?"

"Nice Nix, I didn't do anything. We took a couple of rounds and well I pushed Sink out of the way and got a board across the head for my effort."

Nixon reached to touch the small cut along her hairline. The bruise that went with it looked worse than the cut itself. "Well, I guess if it was for a good cause."

Raine growled at Nixon, "why are you here?"

Smirking he dropped into the chair next to her. They'd successfully found another small building to use for Sink's headquarters and had spent the better part of the last two days cleaning and trying to save whatever they could from the old offices. Nixon glanced around the smaller room Raine was in and finally shrugged, "Dick and I had to come in for a briefing and you know I had to find out how it went with you and Ronnie?"

She rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't let him hear you call him that. But to answer your question things went well…I think. We really didn't get to talk much."

"Oh so no talking was involved, hmm, that conjures up so many thoughts."

Sighing, "it's not what you think, I mean we did talk and we're going to try Nix, but there is so much he doesn't know and…"

"Look, give the man some credit. You know him; he's not afraid of anything and right now he's ready to fight to keep you so how about giving him a shot."

Reaching into her desk, she set the full bottle of Vat 69 down. "For being such a good friend."

Nixon grabbed the bottle and slid it under his jacket. "Baby you are one in a million." Dropping a kiss on her forehead, he left quickly to meet up with Dick.

Sink was heading back to his office when he heard Nixon and Winters talking. Stopping he decided to join them till he heard Winters ask how Raine was.

Nixon's chuckle carried through the dark, "oh she's good. Restocked my dwindling supply so I'm a happy man. She said to tell you hello and that she missed being on the line with us."

"Yeah well I'm just as happy that she's back here with Sink. It's safer."

Nixon snorted, "yeah well guess you didn't see her. She's got a cut and bruise on her head where she saved Sink's life in the last bombing raid."

Sink clenched his hands. How could he have been so blind to have a woman sitting right in front of him? Frowning he scratched he head, why would a woman be posing as a man any way? Listening for the two officers to leave he slipped around the corner and into the outer officer where Raine was still working on the reports.

"Pryor, I've got to ask you something? What the hell is a woman doing in a front line combat unit posing as a man? Damn it, do you realize what kind of hell would rain down if someone found out?"

Raine kept quiet while Sink paced the confined and yelled at her for being a woman. She had no idea what he was going to do but had a good idea he would send her back to England in a heartbeat.

Sink stopped pacing and faced her, "well what do you have to say for yourself?"

Taking a deep breath, she chose her words carefully. "Sir, I have done a good job for you and asked for nothing, but I'm begging you to let me stay. No one knows and…"

"Hell Nixon and Winters know, so how can you say no one?"

Running a hand through her hair in frustration, she just decided to blurt out the truth. "Look sir, I'm hiding from my husband who would kill me if he ever found me. I know that sounds like a line but it's the truth. All I want to do is stay here, please sir, I saved your life."

Trying to give her his best intimidating look, he finally gave up and laughed. "Yeah ya did. I guess I just feel like a fool for not seeing it. But hell, if you are proof of what a female can do on the front line, we need more of ya."

Sighing she relaxed back in the chair, "thank you sir, you won't be sorry I promise."

Waving her off he headed into his office, "oh Pryor, make sure you get your scrawny ass to sleep tonight. You look like hell."

Smiling he watched him shut the door. For a grumpy old bear, he could be a real sweetheart sometimes.